Arnhem Land locals have claimed a crew of illegal fishers camped on their beach, broke into their cars and stole their fuel. On Monday, the Northern Land Council called for the Albanese Government to bolster Australia’s northern borders, claiming an influx of illegal boats had been encroaching on sovereign soil. The NLC claimed Bawinanga Rangers sighted a foreign fishing boat concealed beneath the mangroves near Maningrida in early November, with its crew members seen swimming and wandering along the beach at Rolling Bay.
South of Warruwi, crew members who were camping on the beach moved inland, breaking into cars and stealing fuel and oil, according to the NLC. NLC Chair Matthew Ryan says more needs to be done to stop illegal fishers. Picture: Supplied.
A further vessel was sighted by Garngi Rangers on the north western side of Croker Island, with the carcasses of two sharks with their fins and tails removed found washed up on the east coast of Cape Croker. NLC chair Matthew Ryan bemoaned the rise in illegal activity. “The Territory’s West Arnhem coastline is being targeted by illegal fishermen because it’s so close to Indonesia, and there has been a distinct spike in boat numbers,” he said.
“These foreign fishing crews have been camping on Aboriginal land and people in our communities are worried because they know the fishermen have a lot to lose and they don’t know how far they’ll go to protect their stolen stock.” Thirteen Indonesian nationals were sente.